Quest for the Cup

HARBOR SPRINGS - Dan Turcott has played in every Harbor Cup for Team Boyne, but he still feels the same way each time he puts his tee into that first tee box.

"This is the one I get the most nervous about that first day," said Turcott, who will captain Team Boyne in the 11th annual Harbor Cup at True North Golf Club beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3. "You try not to pour more gas on something like this, but we know Team Harbor is hungry and we don't want to let it go."

Team Boyne, which has won three straight Cups and five of the last six, holds a 7-3 lead in the all-time series.

"What we've always stressed is it takes maximum individual effort to reach our team goal," Turcott said. "And that team goal is always to get that trophy.

"Everyone is really looking forward to it. The guys work for this all summer and it gives them a reason to keep going and to perform at the highest level."

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The Ryder Cup-style event begins 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, with four-ball (better-ball) matches, followed in the afternoon by alternate shot. The final round begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, with singles matches, which should conclude early in the afternoon.

The teams are comprised of 12 golf professionals from Boyne, and 12 from other area clubs. Both teams are playing for the coveted Cup, with the money going to charities of the team's choice.

Turcott said raising money for charities is one of the biggest parts of the Cup, but the pressure to win also grows from year-to-year.

"I really like the team event aspect of it," Turcott said. "I like to see how others react under pressure. Better-ball is a format we in America play a lot of, but alternate shot is something we don't play too much of.

"In alternate shot, we have to keep the ball in play to give ourselves a chance."

Shaun Bezilla, captain of Team Harbor and founder of the event, said he's confident of his team's chances this year.

"We just have to make some putts," said Bezilla, the golf professional at Harbor Point Golf Club. "In the past, they (Team Boyne) have made some key putts. We had a good shot last year and we let them off the hook.

"We just have to play a little harder. Both teams have a great deal of talent and there's a lot of good players out there. It's just going to come down to who makes a few putts and the little things."

Along with Bezilla, Team Harbor is comprised of Kris Cavitt, John Gates and Bob Wilson of Birchwood Farms; John Wilson of Wequetonsing Golf Club; Dave Mocini of True North; Brian Sanderson and Keith Grunch of Petoskey-Bay View Country Club; Harry Dickson of Walloon Lake Country Club; Larry Mancour of Conway; Matt Norton of Pro-Am Custom Golf; and Mark Buchanan of Chestnut Valley Golf Club.